New @washingtonpost piece from @willoremus with new @wearenew_public research demonstrating what it looks like when local social media is done right -- and how important business, moderation and design choices are in creating a lot of the toxic conversations today. Things really don't have to be this way!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/08/10/front-porch-forum-vermont-research-new-public/
@elipariser @washingtonpost @willoremus @wearenew_public
Social media tends to be done right -- when the scale is small. This has been the case since PLATO and The WELL.
It's once you add scale, then the MBAs come in, and wanna grow everything to numbers in the billions, and the pressure is on to do so. The motivations change. The vibe changes. The people change. The rules change. In the end, you get crap.
I suspect it will certainly happen to Threads.
@elipariser @washingtonpost @willoremus @wearenew_public
Non-paywalled version at https://archive.is/NcvAJ
Really could use a site like this in NYC.
Dean Jenkins
Eli Pariser
Brian Dear
Roadskater, Ph.D.